New Orcs Arrive At The City Of Winds
A Pandrylastaes Aerdylia Story
Aerdylia
watched as three more Orcs were brought into the City of Winds. She gave a sigh, this would make
fifteen that now resided here. The Elves of the Green didn’t usually take
prisoners, preferring to just chase the Orcs away from whatever place they were
trying to cut up. Sometimes the Elves got lucky, Orcs too as they unwittingly
chose a place that needed Culling to do their cutting. Then the Elves would
leave the Orcs alone, but be near watching, to make sure they didn’t stray.
Aerdylia sighed again and figured she may as well see to the new arrivals comfort. Very few saw the Orcs as more than unwanted intruders In the Forest of Green. Aerdylia saw them as unlearned, and in need of teaching. She didn’t see why their two peoples couldn’t coexist with just some compromising. With another sigh, she moved off towards where the Orcs were allowed to live. She moved quickly and easily through the tree top city. Of all the Elven settlements within the Forest of Green, the City of Winds was the largest, using thirty of the giant trees that grew all over the Forest. In the fifty years the Elves had been fighting the Orcs, the Orcs had never found where the Elves lived, mainly because they never thought to look up. Now the poor Orcs that lived here in the City of Winds, would never go home, unless this warfare ended.
Aerdylia landed lightly from a branch above right in front of the escort leading the Orcs. The escort came to a halt, and the three Orcs after flinching and shuffling , looked at her guardedly, though one seemed to watch her curiously as well. She gave a nod to the Elves and then spoke. “I’ll take them.” Her voice was soft and melodious as she spoke.
One of the Elves gave her a condescending look. “Aerdylia, you would be better to find something more worthwhile to spend your time on. These foul creatures are not worth it.”
Her gentle face turned hard and cold at the male’s words. “Baes, you are foul, and not worthwhile of my time. Now begone, I’m sure there’s someone about who might have actually missed you.” Her tone had become condescending and haughty.
Baes gave her a deadly stare before turning to his snickering companions. “Come, let the bitch tend to her pigs then.”
The other Elves stopped and glared at him before one turned to Aerdylia. “Mistress Aerdylia, please. You know we cannot leave with just you leading these new arrivals.”
The gentleness returned to Aerdylia’s face and she sighed at the new speaker. “Yes, I know, I know.” She waves in the direction they were heading. “Lead on.” She falls into step with them as they continue another hundred feet or so to the dwellings set aside for the Orc captives.
Once there, the guards pause, “Mistress--” They are cut off as Aerdylia waves a hand and then motions for the Orcs to follow her. She moves gracefully towards a dwelling that is directly in front of them. Aerdylia knew the Orc woman there would help her translate to the new arrivals. Both Elf and Orc had come to some sort of understanding that Aerdylia couldn’t quite put her finger on. It was a lot like her affinity with Dragons, only she didn’t hear the Orc’s voice inside her head. The Orcs hadn’t moved to follow her, at least not until the one who’d showed some curiosity decided to follow her, still curious over this slight wisp of a female.
Aerdylia pauses and gives a knock on the jam beside the blanket like curtain that was the norm for a door in the settlement. “Kemtev? Are you here? I bring company.” All three Orcs were stunned to hear her speak in Orcish, though her lyrical accent made it sound odd.
“I am Aerdylia, enter, please.” A clearly Orcish female voice was heard to come from the other side of the door. Aerdylia was quick to pull the curtain aside and hold it while she motioned the Orcs with her to proceed. After they had gone through she followed behind.
Inside was simple, but had nice furnishings. Elven magics had hollowed out the inside of the tree to make a living space. To one side was a thick stone square with shin high edges. Within it a fire burned low and a pot hung above, clearly cooking something. Plush pillows were strewn on the other side of the room, and there were shelves everywhere. Some held dishes, others various odds and ends. There were two shelves full of little statues and carvings, and many empty shelves close by. And in the back could be seen stairs following the curve of the wall and disappearing a foot past a tall Orc’s head.
Aerdylia moved past the new Orcs digging into a pouch she wore on her hip. “I bring snow.” As she pulls out a small bone carving of a dragon and holds it out to Kemtev.
Kemtev at first howled with laughter, then took the proffered gift. At Aerdylia’s puzzled look, she calmed enough to speak, in a mix of Orcish and Elvish. “You said ‘I bring snow,’ Youngling. And while this is white, it is not snow.”
Aerdylia frowned as she sorted out what Kemtev was saying. Then a disgusted look came over her face. Also speaking in a mix of Elf and Orc, she replies. “I am afraid I will never get the grasp of your language.”
Kemtev chuckles and moves to place the dragon on an empty shelf next to the two full ones of carvings. Still speaking in the combined language the two had fashioned to communicate, “not true, Youngling. For the amount of time you actually spend learning, you have come surprisingly far.” She then turned and looked over the newest Arrivals. Knowing why Aerdylia had brought them, she speaks in full Orc. “You are now prisoners of the Elves having been caught. This tree, and two others are our little corner in this town. Do not attempt to escape, you will be shot, if you don’t fall out of the trees on your own. Never forget, there are guards watching us, even if we can’t see them.”
A look of dismay crosses the new Orcs’s faces. the one who’d shown curiosity over the Elf in the room speaks. “Do you mean that we are stuck up in the air for the rest of our lives?” She sounds horrified by the thought.
Kemtev shrugs. “That or until the fighting ends between our two peoples.” Now the new arrivals look depressed at her words and she tries to cheer them somewhat. “It is not so bad really. We are free to come and go among ourselves. In truth the Elves would just as soon as not have us here, but they do not believe in killing a captive without provocation. So they are stuck. In truth most Elves are indifferent to us being here. There is a handful though that would probably happily gut us and leave us for the crows, and then you have another handful much like Youngling there. Showing us some kindness and making sure we aren’t too uncomfortable.”
“But don’t you miss fighting, being with your family, your people?”
Kemtev’s face becomes sad. “Aye, I do miss them all. But I’d rather be alive, with a small chance of being able to do and see those things again, than dead.” She turns away to stir the pot over the fire. “Make yourself comfortable. I will feed you before we get you settled.”
Aerdylia knew something was wrong, but also knew better then to try and comfort the Orc. She’d learned quickly that public displays of the kinder emotions made Orcs uncomfortable, and sometimes downright angry. So, instead she spoke once more in the combined language. “I will go and find them necessary things. I’ll be back later.” At Kemtev’s nod she turns and heads out the door.
The Orcs look at Kemtev, she was bustling about, and served them in short order. The Orcs took the food, and ate in silence, trying to adjust to their new situation, and come to grips with Kemtev’s attitude. It was not the Orc way to just give up, but to fight until there was no fight left. Had living among the Elves weakened this Orc? When the Orcs had had their fill, the Elf returned with others and stuff piled high in their arms.
Kemtev spoke. “good timing as usual Youngling.” She switches to pure Orc. “Go, follow the Elves and find you new homes.” She shoos the whole lot out of her dwelling. Aerdylia and the Elves with her quickly backpedaled and then lead the new Orcs to some empty dwellings.
Aerdylia sets her burdens down and with motions and broken Orcish, conveys to the newcomers that they are to look over and find themselves something that suits them in the empty dwellings available.
The Orcs are surprised that they are even given an option to choose, instead of being forced in some sort of filthy vermin infested prison. Though with some thought, and a good look around the settlement, they realized that the Elves really didn’t have any place for a proper prison. Soon the Orcs had chosen dwellings and the Elves scattered to deposit the things they’d carried thus far.
Aerdylia gathered up the things she’d brought and went to the Orc that had shown some curiosity. She once more deposited the things only this time inside. She started sorting through the various items, and stole glances at the Orc trying to look her over. Ardylia thought her rather pretty for an Orc. Her tusks were smaller than the males, which seemed the norm for their species. She was well muscled and tall, another common trait of the Orcs. Her skin was so tanned as to seem brown, and her hair was neither dark brown nor light, but something in between.
Finally finished sorting, she tries to explain to the Orc that she will be safe here. Her ineptitude with the language though causes the Orc to wince, and finally speak, in a strange Elvish, but one Aerdylia could understand with some effort. “Stop Elf, you butcher the language worse than a Youngling just learning.”
After she had figured out just what the Orc had said, she gave a sheepish grin. “I am sorry, I do not mean too, but I do not have much chance for practice.” She gives a sigh and her gaze drops unseeingly for several breaths. Finally she looks up at the Orc who hadn’t replied, but had watched the Elf with interest. “You speak a funny Elvish, but Elvish none the less. How?”
The Orc continued to study her, debating on whether to answer or not. Finally she decides that it couldn’t hurt, and maybe she could learn something useful from this Elf for when she returned to her people. “I learned the language of our other Elven enemies, that we are now at peace with.”
Aerdylia looked like she was about to fall over, so stunned was she at this revelation. “There really are other Elves?” Her voice was awed at the thought that the legends just might be true after all.
The Orc looked startled at the Elf’s reaction. “Wait. You are saying that your people do not know about the other Elves?” Aerdylia looked away, suddenly embarrassed, and she started fussing with the many pillows, trying to arrange them in a pleasing but useful manner.
Finally she spoke quietly. “There is a legend among my people. Millennia ago, the Elven people were nearly wiped out by monstrous creatures. Half of what was left of the people formed into several groups and struck out, away from their ancestral lands. It was thought, that if several groups went and found more hospitable places to live, one, the Elven race would survive, and two, it would give someplace for the last defenders to retreat to.”
She pauses briefly as the Orc had moved to join her in arranging the pillows, very interested in her story. This was something the Orcs had never known about the Elves. Handing the Orc a pillow, she continues. “Anyway, as the Legend goes, the People of the Green found this Forest, and worked to settle it. My people found as they settled in that they had a strong sense of the Forest, as if it was a sentient being, which it very much is. Runners were sent back to let those who’d stayed behind that a place had been found. Few returned, those who did, told of ruin and destruction, and no Elf left. No other runners from the other groups were encountered by the few that returned, and it was presumed they perished somewhere.”
She pauses once more as she moves towards the cooking area, and starts setting that up. “Down through the centuries, there has been the occasional story of an encounter with an Elf not of the Green. But they are thought to be wild tales brought about by homesickness or a fever or delirium of some sort.” She gives a sigh as she looks over at the Orc who’d also come over to help set up the cooking area. “But you are saying that there are truly other Elves, and I am figuring not far.”
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The Orc gives a nod. “Yes, there are. And by my knowledge of the lands of the Orc Nation, my guess is that my people are right between yours and theirs.” Strangely, the Orc found herself liking this Elf. She seemed so different from her preconceived ideas of the Forest Elves. “My name is Metah.”
Aerdylia’s jaw dropped as Metah gave her name. She’d learned enough of the Orcs to know that she must have done something to impress the Orc for her to do that. Quickly reviewing the past since she’d dropped in front of the group, she couldn’t think of anything unusual she could have done to warrant such. She jerks herself back to the present and her jaw snaps shut audibly before she replies. “I am Aerdylia.” She pauses a brief moment, “My friends call me Lia.”
Metah was equally astonished at Aerdylia’s offer. She was definitely finding this Elf an intriguing mystery. “Lia.” She nods her head in respect. “But if we are to be friends, I will insist on teaching you Orc, and you learning it properly.”
Aerdylia laughed, throwing her head back in her amusement. She straightens up and throws a hand towards Metah. “Agreed.”
Metah chuckled at her outburst, liking her even more. This one wasn’t afraid to laugh when it was called for, and didn’t seem to be easily offended either. She clasped her arm midway between elbow and writs, and felt the Elf’s small hand close over her meaty forearm. “Agreed. We start now.”
Aerdylia laughed again, and nodded. Over the next few weeks if anyone wanted to find Aerdylia, they quickly learned she was spending time with one of the New Orcs brought in. It caused much whispering among the Elves, and even started to bring her grief at her parent’s dinner table, finally to the point that she blew up in the middle of one meal at a particularly harsh comment from her mother. “Yes, Mother, we should really just ignore that they live among us. After all those we don’t chase off or kill, we bring back here to live.”
“Young Lady, you will stop this instant and apologize to your mother.” Her father speaking up, something he rarely did.
Aerdylia shook her head. “Tell me father, why don’t we just kill them? Why bring them back here to live among us? Especially if it is such a burden?”
Her father is astonished, “You know very well why we don’t kill them.”
“Oh, aye, we do not kill without provocation, and once defeated, there is no more provocation. But we defeat them on the ground, why not turn them loose somewhere down there? It’s not like before we bring them here they know our settlements are in the tree tops.” Frustrated at the short term stupidity of her people, she rises angrily and stalks out, ignoring the outraged calls of both her parents to return at once. She goes to her room and gathers a few things and then leaves the house of her parents.
She next showed up knocking on Metah’s door. When Metah peers out the curtain, she is surprised to see an obviously upset Aerdylia, wordlessly she moves back to allow the Elf to enter. As Aerdylia enters, she drops her small pack by the door and stalks back and forth for many long moments. Metah watches quietly. She had learned over the weeks that Aerdylia could get very passionate on things she felt strongly about. But she’d yet seen her mad over anything. Even the first time she’d seen the Elf and the one had made the nasty remark, she hadn’t gotten mad. Something that would have caused an Orc to knock the speaker’s head off his shoulders.
Aerdylia finally stops pacing and turns to face Metah. She looks away as she starts to speak, looking uncertain. “I know I have no right to impose upon you, but do you… think… maybe…” She pauses and worries her lower lip between her teeth. Metah quietly waits, curious as to what could have the normally composed Elf so flustered. And finally she rushes the last words. “I could stay with you for a time?” Once finished she colors a nice shade of red.
Metah is stunned and speechless at Aerdylias’ question. Why on earth would she wish to stay with Metah, an Orc. Didn’t the Elf have any friends amongst her own people? The next emotion to hit her was a feeling of honor. Aerdylia was clearly upset about something, and she’d turned to Metah for help. She notices Aerdylia getting nervous and fidgety at her long silence, and finally speaks as she senses that the Elf is about to bolt. “You are more than welcome to stay here. I am honored that you asked.”
Aerdylia, misunderstanding, looks offended, “Why wouldn’t I ask? This is your home after all, at least while you live in the City of Winds.”
Metah chuckles and then clarifies. “No, Lia, I am honored you come and ask me to stay here, with an Orc, when you are clearly upset about something.” She moves to make some tea for the Elf hoping it will calm her some. She wasn’t sure how to take this new aspect of the Elf’s personality.
Aerdylia was embarrassed briefly, and then flopped down on some cushions. “I hate my people.” Metah nearly drops the cup she had just filled at Aerdylia’s words. She turns slowly and looks at her wide eyed. Aerdylia doesn’t see though as she glares down at the floor and continues. “They are so short-sighted and stupid, and arrogant too.”
Metah hands her the cup of tea and briefly thanks the Ancestors that with some insistence and encouragement, Aerdylia had learned a large portion of Orcish and spoke exclusively in it when around Orcs. Metah had a strong feeling if any other Elf overheard Aerdylia right now, she’d be drug away for treason, and killed. Rethinking that thought, she amended it to banished, but who knew, maybe the Elves would kill for treason. “I have never seen you so upset before. What distress you so?”
Aerdylia took the cup and briefly sipped it. Before she could answer though, a small blue winged creature zipped through the curtain and settled on her shoulder. **I felt your distress Lia, what is wrong? Who upset you?** The creature turns out to be a small dragon and it turned its head towards Mateh and seemed to glare. It also suddenly fluffed up, making its scales stand up and looking twice its size. **Was it this creature?**
Aerdylia gave a small laugh and her bad mood seemed to dissipate. She raises her hand and rubs it along the dragon’s neck and back. “No, Tyrdar, Metah is not the one to upset me.” Though she speaks out loud for Metah’s benefit, she really didn’t need to for Tyrdar, since he could catch her thoughts.
The little blue dragon calmed and went back to its normal size. **Who then?**
Aerdylia sighed, “My parents for one, and most of the Elves of the City of Winds for second.” She drank more of the tea, while both Orc and dragon sat quietly digesting this news. “Everyone’s carrying on and gossiping that I spend far too much time with Orcs. Yet you and your people are forced to live among us when we defeat you, instead of just turning you lose outside of the Forest somewhere. It’s not like your people knew we lived in the tree tops. But this warfare has gone on for fifty years, and looks as if it will never end, what do they plan to do when more Orcs are forced to live here.” She finished off her tea and flopped back, her tirade spent leaving her exhausted. She hands the cup back to Metah. The dragon moved quickly to keep from being crushed under her and settled itself on her chest.
Metah in the meantime, took the cup back and rose to clean it. “Lia, may I ask you something?”
Aerdylia looked at Metah curiously, “of course.”
Metah turns around after putting the cup away and looks over this slight Elf that she’s actually starting to think of as a friend. “Why do your people chase mine from the Forest?” She really wants to understand and waits for an answer.
Aerdylia looked startled at the question. “Because you cut in the wrong places, destroying the Forest instead of helping it. We don’t always chase your people away, when you cut in the places that need Culling, we just watch to make sure that’s all you cut.”
Metah looked flabbergasted at this revelation. This war was over cutting down trees in the wrong places? She stared at the Elf as if she were insane.
Aerdylia saw it. “Look, you remember when I told you the legend of other Elves?” Metah nods, confused. “Do you remember me telling you the Forest is sentient?”
Metah frowns for a moment as she searches her memory, and then a dawning realization crosses her face. “Our cutting where ever hurts the Forest.” It wasn’t a question, but Aerdylia nodded anyway. “Why didn’t your people ever try to tell mine? All of this could have been avoided.”
Aerdylia looked sad. “It was tried. Perhaps the war your people had with the other Elves caused the slaughter of the delegates who approached to try to talk.”
Metah closed her eyes as if in pain, she knew Aerdylia was probably right. She gave a sigh and joined the Elf on the cushions. “A misunderstanding, all this trouble for a misunderstanding.” She sat quiet for a long time, and then turned to the Elf, “Stay as long as you like Lia, I do not begrudge your company, but rather enjoy it.”
Aerdylia gave a genuine grin to Metah. “Thank you.” She soon drifted off to sleep, and Mateh covers her before going upstairs to retire herself.
Metah had a bet going with herself, she was surprised, she lost. It took the Elves four weeks to finally send someone for Aerdylia, and they’d only sent someone to remind her that she was due for the next rotation to go out and watch for Orcs. Aerdylia gave the messenger a nod, and the fellow left. Two days later she bid her friend, for that was what she now thought of the Elf to be, a safe journey and a quick return home.
Aerdylia sighed again and figured she may as well see to the new arrivals comfort. Very few saw the Orcs as more than unwanted intruders In the Forest of Green. Aerdylia saw them as unlearned, and in need of teaching. She didn’t see why their two peoples couldn’t coexist with just some compromising. With another sigh, she moved off towards where the Orcs were allowed to live. She moved quickly and easily through the tree top city. Of all the Elven settlements within the Forest of Green, the City of Winds was the largest, using thirty of the giant trees that grew all over the Forest. In the fifty years the Elves had been fighting the Orcs, the Orcs had never found where the Elves lived, mainly because they never thought to look up. Now the poor Orcs that lived here in the City of Winds, would never go home, unless this warfare ended.
Aerdylia landed lightly from a branch above right in front of the escort leading the Orcs. The escort came to a halt, and the three Orcs after flinching and shuffling , looked at her guardedly, though one seemed to watch her curiously as well. She gave a nod to the Elves and then spoke. “I’ll take them.” Her voice was soft and melodious as she spoke.
One of the Elves gave her a condescending look. “Aerdylia, you would be better to find something more worthwhile to spend your time on. These foul creatures are not worth it.”
Her gentle face turned hard and cold at the male’s words. “Baes, you are foul, and not worthwhile of my time. Now begone, I’m sure there’s someone about who might have actually missed you.” Her tone had become condescending and haughty.
Baes gave her a deadly stare before turning to his snickering companions. “Come, let the bitch tend to her pigs then.”
The other Elves stopped and glared at him before one turned to Aerdylia. “Mistress Aerdylia, please. You know we cannot leave with just you leading these new arrivals.”
The gentleness returned to Aerdylia’s face and she sighed at the new speaker. “Yes, I know, I know.” She waves in the direction they were heading. “Lead on.” She falls into step with them as they continue another hundred feet or so to the dwellings set aside for the Orc captives.
Once there, the guards pause, “Mistress--” They are cut off as Aerdylia waves a hand and then motions for the Orcs to follow her. She moves gracefully towards a dwelling that is directly in front of them. Aerdylia knew the Orc woman there would help her translate to the new arrivals. Both Elf and Orc had come to some sort of understanding that Aerdylia couldn’t quite put her finger on. It was a lot like her affinity with Dragons, only she didn’t hear the Orc’s voice inside her head. The Orcs hadn’t moved to follow her, at least not until the one who’d showed some curiosity decided to follow her, still curious over this slight wisp of a female.
Aerdylia pauses and gives a knock on the jam beside the blanket like curtain that was the norm for a door in the settlement. “Kemtev? Are you here? I bring company.” All three Orcs were stunned to hear her speak in Orcish, though her lyrical accent made it sound odd.
“I am Aerdylia, enter, please.” A clearly Orcish female voice was heard to come from the other side of the door. Aerdylia was quick to pull the curtain aside and hold it while she motioned the Orcs with her to proceed. After they had gone through she followed behind.
Inside was simple, but had nice furnishings. Elven magics had hollowed out the inside of the tree to make a living space. To one side was a thick stone square with shin high edges. Within it a fire burned low and a pot hung above, clearly cooking something. Plush pillows were strewn on the other side of the room, and there were shelves everywhere. Some held dishes, others various odds and ends. There were two shelves full of little statues and carvings, and many empty shelves close by. And in the back could be seen stairs following the curve of the wall and disappearing a foot past a tall Orc’s head.
Aerdylia moved past the new Orcs digging into a pouch she wore on her hip. “I bring snow.” As she pulls out a small bone carving of a dragon and holds it out to Kemtev.
Kemtev at first howled with laughter, then took the proffered gift. At Aerdylia’s puzzled look, she calmed enough to speak, in a mix of Orcish and Elvish. “You said ‘I bring snow,’ Youngling. And while this is white, it is not snow.”
Aerdylia frowned as she sorted out what Kemtev was saying. Then a disgusted look came over her face. Also speaking in a mix of Elf and Orc, she replies. “I am afraid I will never get the grasp of your language.”
Kemtev chuckles and moves to place the dragon on an empty shelf next to the two full ones of carvings. Still speaking in the combined language the two had fashioned to communicate, “not true, Youngling. For the amount of time you actually spend learning, you have come surprisingly far.” She then turned and looked over the newest Arrivals. Knowing why Aerdylia had brought them, she speaks in full Orc. “You are now prisoners of the Elves having been caught. This tree, and two others are our little corner in this town. Do not attempt to escape, you will be shot, if you don’t fall out of the trees on your own. Never forget, there are guards watching us, even if we can’t see them.”
A look of dismay crosses the new Orcs’s faces. the one who’d shown curiosity over the Elf in the room speaks. “Do you mean that we are stuck up in the air for the rest of our lives?” She sounds horrified by the thought.
Kemtev shrugs. “That or until the fighting ends between our two peoples.” Now the new arrivals look depressed at her words and she tries to cheer them somewhat. “It is not so bad really. We are free to come and go among ourselves. In truth the Elves would just as soon as not have us here, but they do not believe in killing a captive without provocation. So they are stuck. In truth most Elves are indifferent to us being here. There is a handful though that would probably happily gut us and leave us for the crows, and then you have another handful much like Youngling there. Showing us some kindness and making sure we aren’t too uncomfortable.”
“But don’t you miss fighting, being with your family, your people?”
Kemtev’s face becomes sad. “Aye, I do miss them all. But I’d rather be alive, with a small chance of being able to do and see those things again, than dead.” She turns away to stir the pot over the fire. “Make yourself comfortable. I will feed you before we get you settled.”
Aerdylia knew something was wrong, but also knew better then to try and comfort the Orc. She’d learned quickly that public displays of the kinder emotions made Orcs uncomfortable, and sometimes downright angry. So, instead she spoke once more in the combined language. “I will go and find them necessary things. I’ll be back later.” At Kemtev’s nod she turns and heads out the door.
The Orcs look at Kemtev, she was bustling about, and served them in short order. The Orcs took the food, and ate in silence, trying to adjust to their new situation, and come to grips with Kemtev’s attitude. It was not the Orc way to just give up, but to fight until there was no fight left. Had living among the Elves weakened this Orc? When the Orcs had had their fill, the Elf returned with others and stuff piled high in their arms.
Kemtev spoke. “good timing as usual Youngling.” She switches to pure Orc. “Go, follow the Elves and find you new homes.” She shoos the whole lot out of her dwelling. Aerdylia and the Elves with her quickly backpedaled and then lead the new Orcs to some empty dwellings.
Aerdylia sets her burdens down and with motions and broken Orcish, conveys to the newcomers that they are to look over and find themselves something that suits them in the empty dwellings available.
The Orcs are surprised that they are even given an option to choose, instead of being forced in some sort of filthy vermin infested prison. Though with some thought, and a good look around the settlement, they realized that the Elves really didn’t have any place for a proper prison. Soon the Orcs had chosen dwellings and the Elves scattered to deposit the things they’d carried thus far.
Aerdylia gathered up the things she’d brought and went to the Orc that had shown some curiosity. She once more deposited the things only this time inside. She started sorting through the various items, and stole glances at the Orc trying to look her over. Ardylia thought her rather pretty for an Orc. Her tusks were smaller than the males, which seemed the norm for their species. She was well muscled and tall, another common trait of the Orcs. Her skin was so tanned as to seem brown, and her hair was neither dark brown nor light, but something in between.
Finally finished sorting, she tries to explain to the Orc that she will be safe here. Her ineptitude with the language though causes the Orc to wince, and finally speak, in a strange Elvish, but one Aerdylia could understand with some effort. “Stop Elf, you butcher the language worse than a Youngling just learning.”
After she had figured out just what the Orc had said, she gave a sheepish grin. “I am sorry, I do not mean too, but I do not have much chance for practice.” She gives a sigh and her gaze drops unseeingly for several breaths. Finally she looks up at the Orc who hadn’t replied, but had watched the Elf with interest. “You speak a funny Elvish, but Elvish none the less. How?”
The Orc continued to study her, debating on whether to answer or not. Finally she decides that it couldn’t hurt, and maybe she could learn something useful from this Elf for when she returned to her people. “I learned the language of our other Elven enemies, that we are now at peace with.”
Aerdylia looked like she was about to fall over, so stunned was she at this revelation. “There really are other Elves?” Her voice was awed at the thought that the legends just might be true after all.
The Orc looked startled at the Elf’s reaction. “Wait. You are saying that your people do not know about the other Elves?” Aerdylia looked away, suddenly embarrassed, and she started fussing with the many pillows, trying to arrange them in a pleasing but useful manner.
Finally she spoke quietly. “There is a legend among my people. Millennia ago, the Elven people were nearly wiped out by monstrous creatures. Half of what was left of the people formed into several groups and struck out, away from their ancestral lands. It was thought, that if several groups went and found more hospitable places to live, one, the Elven race would survive, and two, it would give someplace for the last defenders to retreat to.”
She pauses briefly as the Orc had moved to join her in arranging the pillows, very interested in her story. This was something the Orcs had never known about the Elves. Handing the Orc a pillow, she continues. “Anyway, as the Legend goes, the People of the Green found this Forest, and worked to settle it. My people found as they settled in that they had a strong sense of the Forest, as if it was a sentient being, which it very much is. Runners were sent back to let those who’d stayed behind that a place had been found. Few returned, those who did, told of ruin and destruction, and no Elf left. No other runners from the other groups were encountered by the few that returned, and it was presumed they perished somewhere.”
She pauses once more as she moves towards the cooking area, and starts setting that up. “Down through the centuries, there has been the occasional story of an encounter with an Elf not of the Green. But they are thought to be wild tales brought about by homesickness or a fever or delirium of some sort.” She gives a sigh as she looks over at the Orc who’d also come over to help set up the cooking area. “But you are saying that there are truly other Elves, and I am figuring not far.”
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The Orc gives a nod. “Yes, there are. And by my knowledge of the lands of the Orc Nation, my guess is that my people are right between yours and theirs.” Strangely, the Orc found herself liking this Elf. She seemed so different from her preconceived ideas of the Forest Elves. “My name is Metah.”
Aerdylia’s jaw dropped as Metah gave her name. She’d learned enough of the Orcs to know that she must have done something to impress the Orc for her to do that. Quickly reviewing the past since she’d dropped in front of the group, she couldn’t think of anything unusual she could have done to warrant such. She jerks herself back to the present and her jaw snaps shut audibly before she replies. “I am Aerdylia.” She pauses a brief moment, “My friends call me Lia.”
Metah was equally astonished at Aerdylia’s offer. She was definitely finding this Elf an intriguing mystery. “Lia.” She nods her head in respect. “But if we are to be friends, I will insist on teaching you Orc, and you learning it properly.”
Aerdylia laughed, throwing her head back in her amusement. She straightens up and throws a hand towards Metah. “Agreed.”
Metah chuckled at her outburst, liking her even more. This one wasn’t afraid to laugh when it was called for, and didn’t seem to be easily offended either. She clasped her arm midway between elbow and writs, and felt the Elf’s small hand close over her meaty forearm. “Agreed. We start now.”
Aerdylia laughed again, and nodded. Over the next few weeks if anyone wanted to find Aerdylia, they quickly learned she was spending time with one of the New Orcs brought in. It caused much whispering among the Elves, and even started to bring her grief at her parent’s dinner table, finally to the point that she blew up in the middle of one meal at a particularly harsh comment from her mother. “Yes, Mother, we should really just ignore that they live among us. After all those we don’t chase off or kill, we bring back here to live.”
“Young Lady, you will stop this instant and apologize to your mother.” Her father speaking up, something he rarely did.
Aerdylia shook her head. “Tell me father, why don’t we just kill them? Why bring them back here to live among us? Especially if it is such a burden?”
Her father is astonished, “You know very well why we don’t kill them.”
“Oh, aye, we do not kill without provocation, and once defeated, there is no more provocation. But we defeat them on the ground, why not turn them loose somewhere down there? It’s not like before we bring them here they know our settlements are in the tree tops.” Frustrated at the short term stupidity of her people, she rises angrily and stalks out, ignoring the outraged calls of both her parents to return at once. She goes to her room and gathers a few things and then leaves the house of her parents.
She next showed up knocking on Metah’s door. When Metah peers out the curtain, she is surprised to see an obviously upset Aerdylia, wordlessly she moves back to allow the Elf to enter. As Aerdylia enters, she drops her small pack by the door and stalks back and forth for many long moments. Metah watches quietly. She had learned over the weeks that Aerdylia could get very passionate on things she felt strongly about. But she’d yet seen her mad over anything. Even the first time she’d seen the Elf and the one had made the nasty remark, she hadn’t gotten mad. Something that would have caused an Orc to knock the speaker’s head off his shoulders.
Aerdylia finally stops pacing and turns to face Metah. She looks away as she starts to speak, looking uncertain. “I know I have no right to impose upon you, but do you… think… maybe…” She pauses and worries her lower lip between her teeth. Metah quietly waits, curious as to what could have the normally composed Elf so flustered. And finally she rushes the last words. “I could stay with you for a time?” Once finished she colors a nice shade of red.
Metah is stunned and speechless at Aerdylias’ question. Why on earth would she wish to stay with Metah, an Orc. Didn’t the Elf have any friends amongst her own people? The next emotion to hit her was a feeling of honor. Aerdylia was clearly upset about something, and she’d turned to Metah for help. She notices Aerdylia getting nervous and fidgety at her long silence, and finally speaks as she senses that the Elf is about to bolt. “You are more than welcome to stay here. I am honored that you asked.”
Aerdylia, misunderstanding, looks offended, “Why wouldn’t I ask? This is your home after all, at least while you live in the City of Winds.”
Metah chuckles and then clarifies. “No, Lia, I am honored you come and ask me to stay here, with an Orc, when you are clearly upset about something.” She moves to make some tea for the Elf hoping it will calm her some. She wasn’t sure how to take this new aspect of the Elf’s personality.
Aerdylia was embarrassed briefly, and then flopped down on some cushions. “I hate my people.” Metah nearly drops the cup she had just filled at Aerdylia’s words. She turns slowly and looks at her wide eyed. Aerdylia doesn’t see though as she glares down at the floor and continues. “They are so short-sighted and stupid, and arrogant too.”
Metah hands her the cup of tea and briefly thanks the Ancestors that with some insistence and encouragement, Aerdylia had learned a large portion of Orcish and spoke exclusively in it when around Orcs. Metah had a strong feeling if any other Elf overheard Aerdylia right now, she’d be drug away for treason, and killed. Rethinking that thought, she amended it to banished, but who knew, maybe the Elves would kill for treason. “I have never seen you so upset before. What distress you so?”
Aerdylia took the cup and briefly sipped it. Before she could answer though, a small blue winged creature zipped through the curtain and settled on her shoulder. **I felt your distress Lia, what is wrong? Who upset you?** The creature turns out to be a small dragon and it turned its head towards Mateh and seemed to glare. It also suddenly fluffed up, making its scales stand up and looking twice its size. **Was it this creature?**
Aerdylia gave a small laugh and her bad mood seemed to dissipate. She raises her hand and rubs it along the dragon’s neck and back. “No, Tyrdar, Metah is not the one to upset me.” Though she speaks out loud for Metah’s benefit, she really didn’t need to for Tyrdar, since he could catch her thoughts.
The little blue dragon calmed and went back to its normal size. **Who then?**
Aerdylia sighed, “My parents for one, and most of the Elves of the City of Winds for second.” She drank more of the tea, while both Orc and dragon sat quietly digesting this news. “Everyone’s carrying on and gossiping that I spend far too much time with Orcs. Yet you and your people are forced to live among us when we defeat you, instead of just turning you lose outside of the Forest somewhere. It’s not like your people knew we lived in the tree tops. But this warfare has gone on for fifty years, and looks as if it will never end, what do they plan to do when more Orcs are forced to live here.” She finished off her tea and flopped back, her tirade spent leaving her exhausted. She hands the cup back to Metah. The dragon moved quickly to keep from being crushed under her and settled itself on her chest.
Metah in the meantime, took the cup back and rose to clean it. “Lia, may I ask you something?”
Aerdylia looked at Metah curiously, “of course.”
Metah turns around after putting the cup away and looks over this slight Elf that she’s actually starting to think of as a friend. “Why do your people chase mine from the Forest?” She really wants to understand and waits for an answer.
Aerdylia looked startled at the question. “Because you cut in the wrong places, destroying the Forest instead of helping it. We don’t always chase your people away, when you cut in the places that need Culling, we just watch to make sure that’s all you cut.”
Metah looked flabbergasted at this revelation. This war was over cutting down trees in the wrong places? She stared at the Elf as if she were insane.
Aerdylia saw it. “Look, you remember when I told you the legend of other Elves?” Metah nods, confused. “Do you remember me telling you the Forest is sentient?”
Metah frowns for a moment as she searches her memory, and then a dawning realization crosses her face. “Our cutting where ever hurts the Forest.” It wasn’t a question, but Aerdylia nodded anyway. “Why didn’t your people ever try to tell mine? All of this could have been avoided.”
Aerdylia looked sad. “It was tried. Perhaps the war your people had with the other Elves caused the slaughter of the delegates who approached to try to talk.”
Metah closed her eyes as if in pain, she knew Aerdylia was probably right. She gave a sigh and joined the Elf on the cushions. “A misunderstanding, all this trouble for a misunderstanding.” She sat quiet for a long time, and then turned to the Elf, “Stay as long as you like Lia, I do not begrudge your company, but rather enjoy it.”
Aerdylia gave a genuine grin to Metah. “Thank you.” She soon drifted off to sleep, and Mateh covers her before going upstairs to retire herself.
Metah had a bet going with herself, she was surprised, she lost. It took the Elves four weeks to finally send someone for Aerdylia, and they’d only sent someone to remind her that she was due for the next rotation to go out and watch for Orcs. Aerdylia gave the messenger a nod, and the fellow left. Two days later she bid her friend, for that was what she now thought of the Elf to be, a safe journey and a quick return home.